ANGER OVER MERGER BID

    STAFF at the Dover Girls' Grammar School are said to be furious at a resolution by their governors to press for complete amalgamation with the boys' school as soon as possible.
    Parents are also concerned and are expected to hold urgent meetings to find out exactly what the situation is. They may also seek information about 'opting out' taking the school out of the control of the county council.
    The vote for merging with the boys' school came on Friday at a meeting of the girls' school governors, which had been postponed because of the wintry weather three weeks earlier.
    Moves have been underway for several months to overcome the financial situation faced by the boys' school under the new formula-funding system.
    A proposal that the boys' school should move to the Castlemount site this September, with the possibility of both grammar schools being located there at a later date, was dropped following massive opposition from staff, parents and public.
    Both schools were looking for other ways to share resources particularly at sixth form level.
    One plan was to move the girls' school to new accommodation on the boys' school site, but keep classes separate at least in the lower years.
    But it is understood that county education representatives met the girls' school governors and said they felt total amalgamation of the schools was the only answer.
    Staff at the girls' school said they felt the school had a secure future on its own as a girls school and were furious when the governors - with the exception of the two teacher-governors followed the county line and voted for amalgamation.
    "We are concerned about the current situation at the boys' school and we are prepared to co-operate with them to an extent to share resources," said one girls' school teacher who did not want to be named.
    "But total amalgamation is not the answer in our view. Our governors have made a decision without asking for the professional view of the staff." It is understood the staff may consider passing a vote of no confidence in the governing body. They could appeal to the Education Secretary to over-rule the decision.
    Parents who are keen to investigate the option of the school becoming grant-maintained will need to organise a petition to call for meetings and a ballot.

by Graham Tutthill.

    THE continuing saga of the future of Dover's grammar schools took a new turn this week when the governors at the girls' school voted for a total merger with the boys' school as soon  possible.
    The round of public meetings were held earlier this year to discuss the proposal to move the boys' school - and possibly both schools - to the Castlemount site had left the authorities in no doubt that people were opposed to that.
    But there did seem to be some support for a plan to move the two schools together, either by building new classrooms at the boys' school, or providing a completely new school.
    This would involve keeping moat classes single-sex in the first five years, and organising joint groups in the sixth form.
    It is at this senior level, where classes are smaller with insufficient teachers to provide as wide a curriculum as may be required, that co-operation would be moat beneficial.
    There would be advantages further down the schools, too, with the sharing of science, art, drama and other facilities.
    But total amalgamation of the two schools is a mighty big step at this stage. The proposal will lead to a lot more meetings.
    The talk within educational circles this week centres on the question: "What have the girls' school done?"
    They are either very out of touch with the thinking of staff, parents and pupils, or they are being very brave and taking the bold approach to the situation.